Read a Good Book Lately?

Genre: Psychological Thriller

What if the only person trying to save you… is the version of you that already failed?

Daniel works the night shift in a silent office complex where nothing ever happens. Until one night, his phone lights up with a voicemail sent from his own number.

The voice sounds like...

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"A Short Stay in Hell" by Steven L. Peck is a short novel, 109 pages, so really a novella.

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"A Short Stay in Hell" by Steven L. Peck is a short novel, 109 pages, so really a novella.

However it aptly captures the horror and dread of near eternity. The book is hard to spoil since much of its world details are laid out on page 1, but then the main story chapters 2 through 5 really show how these play out and by the end of chapter 5 I needed to watch comedy skits because I was more depressed than after reading George Orwell's 1984.

The Hell described (in short) is one where you need to find the book of your life. The catch is, this is The Library of Babel, meaning every possible book that has been written and can be written is here... so that's A TON OF BOOKS. You are free to search all day, you have free food and places to rest. Can collaborate with others. You are in this Hell as a young, healthy version of yourself. And harm, even death, is reversed by the next morning when you wake up all good again. In fact, you are generally free in this Hell. It's no gulag or dark forest or Infernal circle form Dante's Inferno.

But the sheer scope of the task is near unfathomable. There are so many books and the search becomes pure dread as you cling to a sliver of hope that you will one day find your book so that you can go to the promised Heaven.

How long does the search take? Well... on page 1, the protagonist reveals say the beginning is "so long ago that its horizon is a vanishing point of two Euclidian lines that would be parallel by anyon human measure." And by the end of the prologue, due the Hell's "gift" of a near perfect memory he is able to recall how many days he's been there: 23^439

For those who don't know math too well (like me) the appendix provides some context and clarification. The mentioned number is longer than the existence of the known universe. Of just wandering (near) infinite identical library stacks on (near) infinite floors.

The story goes into detail about the soul crushing nature of this seeminly endless monotony which, I remind the reader, the protagonist remembers every detail of due to that "gift" of perfect memory.

A great little book, very thought provoking, but have some comedy queued up for when you finish.

Sydney S

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2 people like this
- Charmane Wedderburn
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

Hey A R ! Love this share. I really enjoy reading, and it’s great to hear how manga and graphic novels can make the experience feel more accessible. Vagabond sounds beautifully told, and the artwork alone makes me want to check it out. Thanks for the recommendation.

A R Mavero.

My pleasure, Sydney S. Enjoy.

Charmane Wedderburn

Vagabond is a beautiful choice. I love how it balances physical mastery with inner transformation — the action almost becomes a meditation. Inoue’s use of negative space and stillness is something I o...

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The negative space is an astute observation, Charmane Wedderburn. I also like how Inoue incorporates different styles of drawing and sometimes favors one based on the mood of a given scene.

It's an in...

2
2 people like this
- Maurice Vaughan
- Charmane Wedderburn
3 months ago

A R, exactly — that flexibility in style feels so intentional. It’s like the art breathes with the character’s inner state rather than staying locked to a single visual grammar.

And I love that you fou...

Alex Tur

4
4 people like this
4 months ago

Hey, Sydney S. Something tells me this will be a sequel to my existing series, which I'm currently working on—reading, rereading, revising, adding to, and adapting for TV. )

Unfortunately, I find it di...

Rose Dupuis

3
3 people like this
3 months ago

The Next Conversation by Jefferson Fisher is top of the list. Then it is back to research for the story waiting to come to life in the pages of a book.

Michael Dzurak

I plan on reading The Metamorphasis of Prime Intellect by Roger Williams.

Elle Bolan

2
2 people like this
- Michael Dzurak
- Maurice Vaughan
3 months ago

I have a copy of Stephen King's Fairytale that I still haven't read yet that I really want to get to.

Doing research for my writing brings many books into my hands to read through. One just started is "Pray Bold" by Joel Osteen. Getting my magic of prayer on. and a 2nd is "The Missing Thread" by Daisy...

Since I was 8 years old I am never without at least one book at hand. There is such wisdom held within the thousands of books I've read over the years. Yes books refine who reads them. If you visit th...

I found short, snappy descriptions in books effective to adapt into scripts. I've also adapted longer and elaborate descriptions by paring them down.

David Taylor

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4 people like this
3 months ago

I got a library card at five years old. Weekly visits to the library were a must. Discover an author - read all their books - discover another - read all their books - rinse and repeat for decades. Al...

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"A Short Stay in Hell" -- The Dread of (near) Eternity

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